Cry
by p3paula
Summary: Songfic... "Cry" by Mandy Moore... /I'll always remember, it was late afternoon/ CloTi.. Please READ AND REVIEW


**CRY**

_**Hisashiburi minna... I put off my promise of writing more in like 3 months.. So forgive me.. School isn't forgiving you know....... But... Hey.. I'll still write.. I PROMISED it.... **__**I normally wouldn't want to settle on broken promises... That's how i am... XD**_

_**This story is a mere product of nostalgic feelings for a song, and my first article (I mean literary.. whatever...) to be accepted (I hope) in the school paper.. Huzzaaa.......**_

_**So let's get on with it.. This is my FIRST EVER FFVII FANFIC.. Wait.. SONGFIC... I hope you love it.... Whatever you think bout it, just tell.. Just don't try FLAMING me.... You'll regret that.... -evil smile while readying an M14-**_

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_DISCLAIMER: I do NOT OWN FINAL FANTASY VII, nor any characters... or even the SONG " CRY".... These are Square Enix' and Mandy Moore's respectively..._

_Dedication: For my good friend, Mitchie, a dedicated CloTi fan... and essentially, the one who advised me through this fic... XD_

_**This is semi-AU type. wahahahaha.. OK READ AND REVIEW. My other fics will be updated.. later.. XD**_

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GUIDELINES:

_Italics - song lyrics_

Normal - story

**Bold - thoughts**

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I'll always remember  
It was late afternoon  
It lasted forever  
And ended too soon

It was late afternoon and Tifa Lockhart was walking along the outskirts of Midgar. She had taken this route many times... But this one... Is one she won't ever forget....

She thought her eyes were lying when she saw it. But, a double take proved it.

_You were all by yourself  
Staring up at a dark gray sky  
I was changed  
_

Standing there in a clearing, nearly hidden by the trees that surrounded the area was Cloud Strife...

Curiosity stung, and Tifa gathered the courage to approach him, to know what could he be doing in such a place...

He was just there, standing, his features was relative to an immobile statue. He could pass as one of the masterpieces to be found in a museum. Yet his face remained radiant of life, as he stared to the slowly sinking sun which lay at the distance.

He never looked more perfect...

And even Tifa guaranteed that... She remained to the spot, observing this different Cloud, more curious than ever.

_In places no one would find  
All your feelings so deep inside (deep inside)  
It was then that I realized  
That forever was in your eyes  
The moment I saw you cry  
The moment that I saw you cry  
_

Tifa was not well hidden. If he would glance to her place, he could easily discern her from the trees. Tifa readied to leave the area, but what she saw made her stay. For she saw something... something no one has ever seen of him...

Cloud Strife was crying.

It wasn't recognizable from her spot. Even more from afar. But, when you focused attention to his deep green-tinted blue eyes, you would realize the glistening tears, which also flow down his cheeks.

Perfect as the sight was, and with the slowly fading colors of the sun as background, and the solitude of trees surrounding him and remaining as the other witnesses to the sight, Tifa felt that the sight was most perfect.

But there was something else she felt...

_It was late in september  
And I've seen you before (and you were)  
You were always the cold one  
But i was never that sure  
_

Cloud Strife is one of the popular ones at Shinra Academy, being part of the group which named themselves 'SOLDIERS'. Either way, he is a cheery yet collected person, to those whom he know. But to those he doesn't give importance, he is just emotionless, a mere observant of the happenings. A cold stoic person...

Nevertheless, he has one of the prettiest eyes. Even if he would just glare at you, the sight could make you fall to the depths of his eyes.

One of the people who has fallen in love through these eyes was Tifa Lockhart. She isn't just a nobody; she was one of those girls in schools that everyone would kneel to when she would pass by. She was with Aeris and the other girls that many considered the counterpart of SOLDIERS. She was known, not just with her looks but also her friendly nature... Yet she never fell in love to anyone....

Except when she met Cloud Strife at school...

True, it was his fault, he crashed into her while hurrying. His eyes were different before. But after that, he became cold and stoic to her. It was as if his features become limited to the cold Cloud when he was to her. Tifa never knew why...

And it hurt so much, because, she had always loved the soft and caring eyes, when she first met him...

And it was the same eyes when he was crying...

_You were all by yourself  
Staring at a dark gray sky  
I was changed  
_

If there was the situation of falling in love all over again, this would be it. As Tifa watched his eyes, she was falling all over again to its depths, just as she did before.

The sky was slowly graying. The sun has dipped lower than the horizon. The last rays was filtering its way to the gray-blue sky.

_In places no one would find  
All your feelings so deep inside (deep inside)  
It was then that I realized  
That forever was in your eyes  
The moment I saw you cry  
_

The moment remained that she was just staring as he was crying. The skies has been darker. The sun has sunk, and the light was barely striking against the sky.

Tifa finally snapped out from her daze. Only then did she face the millions of reactions formed in her head. The images of his eyes, those she loved. The questions of why he was crying. And the strong urges that she approach him and comfort him...

_I wanted to hold you  
i wanted to make it go away  
I wanted to know you  
I wanted to make your everything, all right....  
_

She felt the weight of the thoughts and countered them. True, she wants to go, ask him what's wrong, help him, or just let him cry, and she'll just try to be there. But he has never paid much attention.

Even when he knew that she liked him. thanks to Yuffie for spreading the news. He just stared at her, colder than ever. He has never changed toward her. Though many says he does pay attention... It was never challenged.... He ignores her...

But, the heart that has always tried is not easily deflected. Gathering the courage, she slowly and silently approached him.

He was much too absorbed in his emotions to notice her figure break away from the trees and go towards him...

She was there, standing behind him. Out of reflex, and just an act of comfort, she placed her arms around him....

She embraced him... "It's okay," she whispered.

_I'll always remember...  
It was late afternoon...  
In places no one would find...  
_

Cloud is stoic and secretive, something that only those close to him could judge. The happiness that he has toward those he know is hard to reveal. But there are times he just lets his true face to be seen, or to just escape.

Cloud Strife is a transferee to Shinra Academy, and has been friends with the best group in it, SOLDIERS. At first, he kept the cool factor, but soon, he found his own feelings taking over since only with them could he feel himself...

Unknown to many, the cold eyes are a mere mask. He has kept his true emotions inside. And one involve something to a certain girl...

She had long black hair, fair skin that was smooth to touch, perceptive but warm red eyes, and the status of one to kneel to.

She was also the first he met at school, accidentally crashing into her.

Cloud has decided to vent out how he falt for her, but in secrecy, as how he is known much... He foud the perfect place in a clearing near the outskirts of town. It was nearly sunset... He felt none of the tears nor the tie has slipped... He focused on a prayer...

Then, a pair of arms embraced him, and a voice echoed... It was her voice.. A voice he knew so well. His eyes ultimately freezes, despite his efforts to not to. Nevertheless, he feels the warmth in his heart. A smile graces his lips, unknown to the girl behind him. He was thankful, for his prayers have been answered.

_In places no one would find  
All your feelings so deep inside (deep inside)  
It was then that I realized  
That forever was in your eyes  
The moment I saw you cry_

Tifa feels the change. She lets go, and Cloud slowly turns to face her, the tears washed away, his eyes icy once more.

"I'm sorry... I should mind my own business. I'm going now..." Tifa said hurriedly, eyes scanning the ground. He did not move. She turned away from him and headed to the other direction.

He did not change expression as she left. But inside his heart, if only she knew, he was painfully breaking at every step she took, as she ended further and further away from him. Until he finds withim himself that his warmth, that his light is slowly walking away farther to him, did he found the strength to move.

Tifa was already near the end of the trees and back to the spot where she was before she saw Cloud. When she was just about to go home.

But she never reached that spot, as a pair of strong arms enveloped her. And a whisper was heard

"Thank you"

_I'll always remember...  
It was late afternoon...  
_

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**_This is AU not a part of the original storyline.. IT IS ALSO THE LONGER VERSION OF THE ONE I PASSED TO THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER.... And entirely the opposite of how it went in the game... But haha... never mind that..... It's my first time to write things like these.. tell me whatcha think... I'll give yah a cookie.... Just press the button down there... XD_**

**_please? XD anyway.. gtg!!!_**

**_-p3paula-_**


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